Play for today: The Night Alive at the Lyric

ADRIAN Dunbar returned to the Lyric theatre stage this week in Conor McPherson’s new play The Night Alive.

Set in Dublin, the Lyric and Dublin Theatre Festival co-production tells the story of Tommy (Dunbar), a middle-aged man who is just about getting by.

Renting a run-down room in his Uncle Maurice's (Frank Grimes) house, Tommy is keeping his ex and kids at arm's length while rolling from one get-rich-quick scheme to the other with his pal Doc (Laurence Kinlan of Love/Hate fame).

Then he crosses paths with Aimee (Kate Stanley Brennan), a fellow survivor. Suddenly, there’s a glimmer of hope that they could make something more of their lives – possibly even together.

Written and directed by Conor McPherson (The Weir, The Seafarer), The Night Alive opened this year’s Dublin Theatre Festival at the Gaiety Theatre.

Indeed, tonight's performance at the Lyric will open the 2015 Belfast International Arts Festival.

"The Night Alive is an extraordinary play that manages to be funny, shocking, contemporary and moving," says Lyric executive producer Jimmy Fay.

"I’m really excited to bring it to Belfast for the first time, and I think our Lyric audiences are going to be blown away."